Tezuka stared down at his bed. What a waste… but he couldn't sleep there until he'd changed the sheets. It wasn't even that Atobe had done anything, just that the bed was all messed up.

He changed the sheets automatically, not even thinking about what had just happened. He was past being taken surprised by things like this. So Atobe Keigo had decided, in his infinite wisdom, that he wanted to have sex. So what?

Tezuka made his bed the way his grandfather had taught him to, because there was no other way to make a bed, as far as he was concerned. He had planned on going into town tonight with some of the other patients. They were American, and spoke no Japanese. He spoke English well enough to converse with them, but for the most part, he pretended that he couldn't. It made things easier.

He sat down on the bed, and stared at his picture of his team. It had been moved. Atobe had touched it. A minor irritation, but an irritation nonetheless. He picked up the picture, and looked it over. That had been… that had been a good day. It had been bittersweet, because he knew that he was leaving, but it had been good.

Syuusuke was smiling. He touched the glass over Syuusuke's face… He liked the sound of Syuusuke's name. He liked being able to say it. He loved the way Syuusuke said his name…

It was lonely here. He couldn't even play tennis. They wouldn't even let him play with his right arm.

He missed playing. He missed his team. He missed practices. He missed his friends.

He missed Syuusuke. He missed the sound of his voice… He loved Syuusuke's voice. Earlier, they had played in the finals against Rikkaidai. He missed seeing Syuusuke give his all.

He missed Syuusuke so much…

He had given Oishi and Syuusuke his phone number. He emailed them. He wrote. Oishi called him at least once a week. Oishi emailed him everyday. Everyday.

He never heard from Syuusuke. He knew Syuusuke well enough to know. He just… wouldn't do that.

He missed him.

He picked up the phone and stared at it. He bit his lip, and thought about it. Atobe had grabbed his damned ass. He closed his eyes and sighed. He knew the number by heart, even with all the extra digits for an international call. He dialed them without even looking at the phone.

It took forever to ring. Long enough for him to start worrying about what he would say, and what Syuusuke's parents might think if they picked up the phone. What time it was in Japan.

Syuusuke's sister answered the phone, and handed it off to Syuusuke cheerfully. Tezuka swallowed hard, and greeted Syuusuke.

"Hello."

"Tezuka-kun…" It sounded so different from Syuusuke than it did from Atobe. It also sounded like Syuusuke didn't really want to talk to him. "How are you? Ok?"

"Yes." He swallowed. It was so *damn* good to hear his voice… "How are you?"

"Great. Did Oishi tell you about the match?"

Tezuka looked at his computer. "He might have. I've just gotten back to my room."

"…What's going on, Tezuka?"

"…I miss you, Syuusuke."

"…Aa."

"Syuusuke…"

"Tezuka, I'm sorry… It's getting late, and…"

"Say my name. Please…"

"Tezuka."

"No, Syuusuke…"

"…I have to go now. Good bye. Kunimitsu."

Tezuka listened to the line disconnect, and he set the phone down gently. He knew, of course. He knew that his Syuusuke would never give into emotion. It didn't hurt. Not really. He was patient. He would see him again, hopefully soon. He could wait.

There was a knock at his door, and he just stared at it, listening to the chatter in English, not really alert enough to understand any of it.

He had never had a problem with being lonely before.

~*~

end